


Marianne and the Reunion

by Ohshitmyship



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Canon-compliant ish, Multi, idk I thought this would be fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 22:59:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18270875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ohshitmyship/pseuds/Ohshitmyship
Summary: When Marianne, mother of two and unhappy wife, comes face to face with her highschool sweetheart, can she survive with the mysterious animal killings?





	Marianne and the Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> this is a critique

Marianne was gearing up excitedly for the next Ryerson High reunion.

It had been ten years since the last one, but folks had started to drift apart, as people do. Ever so unfortunately, a girl from their graduating class had been found dead in the woods by the old high school. Animal attack, they’d said.

So, it was time for the reunion of Ryerson’s ‘97 graduating class!

Marianne, being ex-student body president and avid bake-sale organizer, took it upon herself to get all the details ironed out. The venue, the food, the funding, the guest list. All very important things!

And then there was another attack.

Some people in the Facebook group wanted to cancel. But that was silly! It was just an animal, probably some wild raccoon that would be caught within a week. Besides, it would be near impossible to get their refunds!

And so the reunion continued.

Marianne, to be quite frank, was mostly unbothered by the attacks. Of course she kept her children inside and well-watched, like any good mother, but she doubted the incidents were anything more than sheer carelessness. Both of the girls that had been killed were floozies, burnouts who worked at the local grocery store and the garage. They had never been much fun anyways.

About two days before the reunion was supposed to take place, Marianne was at the local banquet hall with some volunteers from their year and their kids, setting up for the event. She was directing the kids on where they should put all of the chairs and how many at each table, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Now just one second, I’m almost done.”

“I would speak to you sooner rather later, ma’am.”

Marianne shooed the kids away and turned around, face-to-face with her highschool sweetheart.

“Dean Winchester? Is that really you?”

Dean’s eyes went wide, probably from recognition. As he was processing what was happening, Marianne took him in.

He looked just as good as he had when they were seniors, maybe even better. He had grown out more, with a sharp jawline, a perfect face, plump lips, and candy-apple green eyes framed by dainty eyelashes. She noticed that he wore a business suit and tie as well as an overcoat, probably to fight off the drizzle in the air. He was holding something up, what looked like a badge.

“Oh my Lord, you are a Federal Agent?”

Dean cleared his throat and put his badge away hastily. Embarrassed, how cute!

“Yeah, um, it’s….Mary….”

“Marianne,” she finished for him happily, “I know, it’s been far too long and you must’ve been to what? Fifty schools?”

“More than that,” Dean said with a laugh.

“So what brings you out to these parts?” She asked casually. Part of her hoped that he would say the reunion.

“Me and my partner are here on an investigation,” Dean admitted, “all the animal attacks.”

“What would the FBI want with some coyotes?”

“We think they might be linked to another case,” Dean informed her, glancing around the room, “I actually meant to ask you some questions. Do you mind if we go somewhere a little more private?”

Marianne’s heart soared and she grinned, “Why of course, darlin’! Let me just talk to the girls and you and I can go grab some coffee.”

Dean nodded, then headed out the front door.

Quickly, Marianne rushed to the kitchen where her dear friend Louise was preparing for the dinner.

“You’ll never guess who just walked in and asked me to coffee!” She said excitedly.

“Who?”

“Dean Winchester!”

Louise gasped dramatically and wiped her hands on her apron.

“No!”

“Yes! He’s a federal agent now.”

“I somehow find that hard to believe,” she said with a smirk, “The entire two months he was here, he was off with girls in closets.”

“I guess he took courses,” Marianne said, “but he wanted to talk, something about the recent attacks.”

Louise frowned, “What would the FBI want with them?”

“Something about it being related to another case,” Marianne said with a wave of her hand, “Who cares? Dean Winchester asked me on a coffee date!”

Louise giggled and turned back to her vegetables, “Well, I’d better make damn sure Leonard ain’t on his break.”

“Oh, Leonard spends his lunch breaks with the secretary,” Marianne said easily, “Toodle-oo!”

Marianne waved goodbye as she left the kitchen and headed out the front. Outside, Dean was waiting, speaking to someone on his phone. He waved at Marianne and she waved back eagerly. As she approached him, she deftly took off her wedding rings and slipped them into her pocket.

“Okay. Yeah, see you back at the motel. Call me if you need. Bye.”

“Who was that?” Marianne asked, hoping it wasn’t a wife. She almost wondered if Dean had a kid. Considering what his favourite pastime in high school was, she wouldn’t be surprised.

“My partner,” Dean said, “Cas is checking out the morgue now. Hey, is that diner down the road still open?”

“Oh. Um yeah. It is.I’ll walk ya.”

The two fell in line and Marianne couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. Dean’s partner was a girl, and no way they hadn’t fallen in love. She watched enough tv to know how partnerships go.

“So what’ve you been up to these past few years?” She prompted as they walked.

Dean shrugged, “Mostly work. Saving people. Hunting things. Family business.”

“Oh, your father was an agent too?”

“Something like that.”

And then silence.

Dean had always been a little difficult to talk to. Not that he wasn’t sociable, but that he was very secretive. Even basic details of his life were a total mystery and as soon as someone got close to finding anything out, the Winchesters would vanish like a rabbit spotted by a coyote.

“You settle down yet?” She asked, trying for conversation. Lord, how she loved his voice.

“Yeah,” Dean said with a small smile, “Sam, Cas, and I, we all found a place in Kansas that we can finally call home. Even got a kid now, Jack.”

“Oh?” Marianne asked, her interests piqued. Sam and Dean had always been close, so it made sense that they would live close as well. The kid didn’t surprise her one bit, “Whose kid?”

“None of ours, actually,” Dean said, “He and his mom got mixed up in this big fight a couple of years back. His dad was a pretty bad guy, pretty powerful. Jack got out okay, but his mom didn’t make it. He was actually pretty close with Cas, so we all kinda adopted him.”

“Oh, I see. So no kids of your own?”

“No. You?”

Marianne smiled, “Yes! I have a son, Isaiah, and a daughter, Lucy. They’re just two bottles of sunshine, about fifteen and thirteen now.”

Dean nodded, “That’s nice. I know you always wanted kids.”

“And you didn’t,” Marianne recalled with a giggle.

Dean shrugged again, “My lifestyle wasn’t meant for kids. Dad made that real clear. Oh hey look, it hasn’t changed!”

They had arrived at the diner that had stood for over 60 years. An old, honest-to-God fifties diner complete with tiles, neon, and a jukebox.

“Man, I’ve missed this place,” Dean said with a grin as he walked in, “based my burgers off their recipe. Never can get it right, though.”

“I didn’t know you cook,” Marianne said.

“Oh yeah. Jack’s a kid who doesn't know how to use a stove, Sam is always on these weird health kicks, and Cas is useless in the kitchen.”

“Oh, I see.” _A wife who can’t cook? You can do better, Dean!_

The two sat down and were immediately welcomed by a waitress in a poodle skirt.

“Howdy Marianne, and who’s this with you?”

“Hello May,” Marianne said with a smile, “This is an old friend of mine, Dean Winchester.”

May’s eyes widened for a second but then she grinned, “Oh how nice! How’s the reunion going?”

“Good,” Marianne replied, “Just about ready! I’m sure business is good!”

“Oh yes, nothing to trigger nostalgia like vintage diners and reunions,” she said with a giggle, “What can I getcha?”

“Classic burger please,” Dean said, “with fries.”

“I’ll just have a chocolate shake and some fries,” Marianne said. May jotted down their order and walked away.

“So, what did you want to talk about, Dean?” Marianne asked.

“I wanted to ask some questions about the attacks,” Dean said, “both women were in your graduating class, right?”

“Our class, you were there!”

“Only for two months,” Dean said with a shrug, “Never graduated with you. But they did, right?”

“Yeah,” Marianne said, “they did. Barely.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Jessabelle was a pothead,” Marianne said, “and Laura spent her study sessions with the football team. God bless both of them, of course, but I’m surprised Laura hasn’t had a child yet, and that it was an animal that got Jess, not the drugs.”

“Right….” Dean said, “Have you noticed anything else? Anything out of the ordinary?”

“What do you mean?”

“Strangers,” Dean prompted, “strange smells, weird weather. Any of that?”

Marianne shook her head, “None of that. Wait, now that you mention it….”

“What?”

“There are these folks that’ve been hanging around. Pale, always wearing sunglasses. I think they’re from out in the country, only seen them in town a handful of times. But they’ve been in town more often than usual, with others I’ve never seen before.”

May came back with their food and the two thanked her before digging in.

“Man, these burgers are _so_ good,” Dean said as he took a big bite.

“Still the same appetite, I see.”

Dean shrugged, “My job requires a lot of energy. Anyways, do you know what that family does?”

“They’re farmers,” Marianne replied as she dipped her fry in her milkshake, “Keep to themselves for the most part. I think Louise is related to them in some way, she used to live with them. She doesn’t talk much about them though, they are odd.”

“In what way?” Dean prompted.

“Well,” Marianne said, “they only come to town on cloudy days, live way out in the middle of nowhere, and only sell fruits and vegetables.”

“Why is that weird?”

“I drive by that place to get to my sister’s,” Marianne explained, “and they’ve got tons of pastures filled with cows. But they’re never selling milk or cheese or any of the like.”

“Right,” Dean said, making a note, “Interesting. Well, thanks for your time Marianne, but I should get going.”

“Wait!” She said hastily, “I mean, well, it’s been so long, we should catch up!”

Dean frowned, “Look, Marianne –”

“Just until you finish your burger,” she assured, “They’re only good warm.”

Dean stared at her for a minute before sighing, “Alright. So, two kids and a husband?”

Marianne shrugged, “Yes and no. Things have been….rough.”

“Oh. I’m sorry about that…”

Awkward.

“But what about you?” She prompted, “Is that ring…?”

“My mother’s,” he assured her, showing her the silver band on his ring finger that he always wore, “Not married yet.”

She almost sighed in relief before catching herself, “No way, an agent like yourself?”

Dean shrugged and played with a fry, “Like I said. Dangerous life. Don’t wanna be bringing people into it.”

“I see….” How brave of him! How chivalrous! He really was the tall, dark, mysterious type!, “So no kids?”

“Aside from Jack, not that I know of. Not anymore.”

“Oh.”

“Anyways,” he said, apparently realizing the weight of what he had just said, “it’s been good though. Wild and crazy, that’s for sure.”

“Do tell me!”

Dean took a big bite of his burger before mumbling “Classified.”

“Please,” Marianne said with a wave of her hand, “I’m sure you can tell me something more than that!”

Dean shrugged, “Uhhh… Remember that Dick guy that was running, like everything?”

“From a few years back?” Marianne said, “Yes, I remember that Dick was big a couple of years ago, but then he just disappeared and anything left of him just shrivelled up and died. Was that you?”

Dean nodded, “Yup. He was running this huge health scam that was messing with people’s nervous systems or whatever. Anyways, we managed to take him down, but we had to keep everything hushed up because it would’ve made a big media stink.”

“That’s so interesting!” Marianne declared, batting her eyelashes at Dean. That usually worked, “So anything exciting recently?”

“Some guy who we thought we’d finished managed to come back,” he said sourly, “Took him down, but he took some people we cared about with him, brought up some bad memories. Wasn’t fun.”

“That’s too bad, I’m sorry,” Marianne said, “So what does this case have to do with?”

“Some project that we’ve been working on for a long time,” Dean said, “don’t think we’ll ever get it done, but maybe it’s better this way.”

Marianne had no idea what Dean was talking about, so she just nodded and smiled. That usually worked too.

She was so happy that he was back. She started to consider her options. It wasn’t coincidence that he was back in Ryerson, Oklahoma. He was here for a reason, and Marianne believed that that reason was her. Dean wasn’t married, her own marriage was in shambles, and she was pretty tough! There was no doubt in her mind that she could handle being the wife of an FBI agent.

Her husband could have custody and Marianne could have visitations…. Cut off everything from her old marriage. That seemed lovely.

“Alright,” Dean said as he dropped another fry in his mouth and dusted off his hands, “I should be meeting Cas at the morgue, compare notes.”

“Oh, already?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah. And don’t worry, I’ll cover this.”

“Well thank you,” Marianne said, desperately trying to think of a way to extend their meeting, “Perhaps I could drive you?”

“It’s not far, really,” Dean assured.

“Oh don’t worry about it, I have to grab something from home anyways.” She didn’t.

“Oh. Okay.” Dean jerked his head towards the counter, “I’ll pay for this.”

She nodded and watched as Dean went up to the counter, talking to May. She narrowed her eyes when she noticed May lean over a little. _Whore_.

 

“So, the morgue, huh?”

Dean nodded from his spot in the passenger seat of her minivan. Lord, she needed a new car. An agent’s salary could surely afford one.

“That can’t be fun looking at all those dead bodies!”

Dean shrugged, “Not the worst part of the job.”

“So, where’s your car?” She prompted, “Surely the FBI wouldn’t send you on a greyhound.”

“Cas is using it right now,” Dean said, “I’ve been asking around, but the morgue is kind of out of the way.”

“Is it the same car your father drove?”

Dean smiled a little, “The very same. Baby’s a classic.”

“Oh how nice!” Marianne recalled how protective Dean’s father had been of that car, based on what little she had seen of him and Dean. She could only assume that Dean carried that sentiment, which meant that only certain people could drive his car.

Certain people like Cas.

Soon enough, they arrived at the hospital. She pulled into the guest parking lot and saw the familiar, sleek black car. Coming out of the building was a man with black hair in a beige trench coat.

Marianne parked and Dean got out, standing just outside of the car, shutting the door behind him.

“Hey, Cas!” She heard him yell, “C’mere!”

The man in the trench coat saw Dean and walked over briskly. Curious, Marianne rolled down the window. Seeing this, Dean leaned in.

“Thanks for the ride. By the way, Marianne, this is Cas. Cas, this is an old classmate of mine, Marianne.”

Marianne smiled and waved, “Pleasure to meet you!” And it was. Cas was ruggedly handsome in a similar way that Dean was, but seemed more like an academic. He nodded seriously, had some scruff, messy hair, and a crooked tie. He seemed like the absent-minded sort, but his blue eyes were piercing, as if they were searching into Marianne’s very soul. But the most important thing was that Cas was a man.

So no partner romance. Marianne could sing.

“Likewise,” Cas replied, then he turned to Dean, “I have something I need you to see.”

Dean nodded and slapped the top of the minivan, “See you around Marianne. Stay safe.”

“You too, Dean.”

The two men walked to the old Impala, and Marianne watched as Cas threw Dean his keys. _He must be a really good friend_ , she thought, _for Dean to let him drive._

Then Marianne pulled out of the parking lot, heading back to the hall.

The next day, there was another attack.

It had been the pot dealer from their year, Zachariah. Amazingly, he was still alive.

News reports said that the animal had been scared off by a passing car, and two anonymous folks had taken him to the hospital. Amazingly, his wounds had been minor, as if they had already begun to heal.

Talk about cancelling spiked up again, but Marianne was able to soothe her classmates. Everything would be fine!

When she was out grocery shopping and grabbing some supplies, she saw a familiar trench coat and mop of black hair.

“Cas!” She called out, walking over to him. She noticed that he was looking at whetstones and carrying a basket of quick foods.

He turned and smiled politely at her as she came over.

“Hello. Marianne, yes?”

“That’s right!” She said cheerfully, “How’re you doing?”

Cas shrugged and turned his attention to the whetstone again, “Could be better. I’m sure that you heard about Zachariah?”

Marianne nodded, “Yes. It’s a terrible thing. Thank God that he was found though!”

Cas hummed, perhaps in agreement, perhaps in thought about the whetstone. Finally, he put it in the basket.

“So how long have you known Dean?” She prompted after a moment, scanning kitchen utensils in front of her. Of course, she didn’t need any, but she did need an excuse to carry on the conversation.

“Ten years,” Cas replied, “how long was he here for?”

“About two months,” Marianne said, “but he made it memorable, he did. You know, they used to call us Robin Hood and Maid Marienne, you know, like the fable?”

Cas glanced at her and nodded, “I am familiar. Were you two together?”

“Only for about a month and a half,” Marianne said with a small laugh, “I was actually playing Maid Marienne in the play we had put on. Dean even came to see me on opening night! He’s so romantic that way.”

Cas scoffed and she snapped her attention to him. He noticed and coughed awkwardly, “I just think it’s funny. Dean is not known to be overly romantic. But he shows his love in different ways.”

“That’s true,” Marianne agreed, “you two seem like you’re close.”

“We do share a profound bond.”

“How nice. Do you have a family, Cas?”

“The Winchesters are my family.”

“Ah, yes. Dean had mentioned yesterday that you had an adopted son? Jack?”

Cas nodded plainly, moving over to another aisle. Marianne followed him.

“Yes.”

“Are there any women in the family?” She asked, “Dean didn’t mention any.”

“Dean’s mother comes around every now and then, but she prefers to do her own thing.”

Marianne frowned, “I thought Dean’s mother died when he was a child?”

“Um. Stepmother.”

“Ah. I see.”

It was kind of awkward then. Cas spoke rather curtly and gave direct answers. At least Dean carried on a conversation.

Oh, how she wanted to talk to Dean. She wondered how long he would be in town for…. His father had stayed quite a while, but Dean seemed less permanent. He had a home to go back to, to his brother and adoptive son. Marianne didn’t know how much longer she would have to do… well, whatever she was going to do.

“Is there any way I can get into contact with y’all?”

Cas turned to her and narrowed his eyes, “Why?”

“I’m just wondering,” she said easily, “Dean is invited to the reunion and you’re welcome to come too! If he needed any details or if I had some questions or information regarding the case, I thought it would be nice to be able to contact him.”

“Alright.” Cas pulled out a small business card and handed it to her. It was plain and professional, with one phone number on each side.

“Which one is Dean’s?”

Cas took out a pen and drew a lazy star next to one, “This one. Let us know if anything happens. If you excuse me, I have to get back to Dean.”

“Oh of course, thank you! And tell Dean I said hi.”

“Sure. Excuse me, my, um, phone is ringing.” Then he stalked off without even reaching into his pocket.

“What an odd man,” she mumbled to herself before shrugging and continuing her shopping.

 

When Marianne got home from shopping about an hour later, she found her husband sitting at the kitchen table, staring at his wedding ring.

Her heart dropped.

His head perked up when she walked in the door and he barely managed to get out “Marianne –”

“No. I am _not_ doing this now. You’ve waited long enough, you can wait until after the reunion.”

Leonard sighed, “Marianne, we have to talk about it at some point.”

“I agree,” she said with a huff as she put the bags down on the kitchen island, “But that does not mean right now. I’m very busy, Leonard. I’ve got kids to raise, a reunion to run, and dead classmates to mourn.”

He scoffed, “Oh please, we both know you hated all three of them.”

“The only person whom I hate is Satan.”

Leonard rolled his eyes and stood up, “You’re so dramatic. Here, let me take your coat.”

She shrugged off her jacket and handed it to Leonard. It was the least he could do.

But as she did, the business card fell out of one of the pockets, and she suddenly remembered that she had been planning on hiding it.

Thoughtlessly, Leonard bent down to pick it up, looking at it curiously. He showed it to her with a raised eyebrow.

“I can see I’m not the only one who’s been shopping around.”

Marianne scowled and snatched the card back from him, “As if! I’m loyal, unlike you. This happens to be the business card of two FBI agents. I’m sure you’ve heard about them.”

“Yeah,” he scoffed, “they’re muscling in on our case. Something’s not right about them, I would stay away if I were you.”

“I said the same thing about that secretary of yours,” she said icily, “And yet, here we are.”

“I will _not_ tolerate that kind of talk,” he snapped at her loudly, “Not in my house.”

“Oh, so you won’t tolerate me, but you’ll tolerate adultery?”

He scowled at her and deflated, going to sit in his chair in front of the TV, searching for the remote.

“Heard Dean Winchester was back in town. He wouldn’t happen to be one of those agents, would he?”

Marianne froze. “And if he was?”

“Then I’d say we’re even.”

“We are _not_ even!” She snapped at him, slamming her hand down on the table, “Do you have any idea what you put me through? How embarrassing it is to know that my marriage is falling apart at the seams?”

“And whose fault is that?” Leonard demanded, standing up and facing her.

“Yours!” She cried, “You’re the one who cheated on me! You’re never here, you never help with the kids, you never help around the house, I feel like a maid!”

He crossed his arms, “I thought you didn’t wanna talk about this now?”

She threw up her hands in frustration and yelled, “Augh! You’re hopeless!”

Leonard just shook his head and turned back to the TV, mumbling, “Women.”

She sighed in defeat and turned back to the groceries, looking at the phone number in her hand.

Dean would be her way out.

 

The next night, the reunion was in full swing.

People were dressed casually but nice, and were pleasantly chatting. Marianne was happy to see everyone together and thrived off of socials. However, she couldn’t fully enjoy herself as Dean was nowhere to be found.

She craned her neck around and stood on her toes, but there were no beautiful green eyes.

“He’s not here,” she mumbled to Louise beside her, “Maybe I should call him….”

“Yes!” She said enthusiastically, almost suspiciously, “It would be unexpected of him to come. Big surprise for everyone.”

Marianne grinned and pulled out her phone, stepping outside. She had already saved Dean’s number in her phone. She stared at it for a moment before taking a deep breath and pressing dial.

After a moment, he picked up, “Agent Winchester.”

“Dean, it’s me.”

“Is everything alright?” He immediately sounded anxious, “What’s going on?”

“I’m fine Dean,” she assured, “I was just um… were you planning on coming to the reunion?”

Dean sighed, “Cas and I thought about it, but we’re in the middle of our case. If we slack off, people can get hurt.”

“I need to talk to you,” she blurted before she even thought. Lord, how Dean made her heart flutter!

“About what?”

“There are ears,” she whispered as someone walked by, “Where can we meet?”

There was a moment of silence before Dean sighed, “Alright. Meet me at my motel room. Angel’s Halo, room 107.”

“Lovely! I’ll be there soon!”

“Be safe,” Dean warned, “and make sure you’re not followed.” And then he hung up.

Marianne blew out a rough breath and looked around her. It was a little chilly, and dark. But she had her car, and the foresight to already have all of her things packed. God willing, she was running away with Dean Winchester.

 

When Dean opened the door, he was wearing a black tee shirt and a red flannel shirt, as well as jeans. He looked behind her as he let her in, locking the door. Then, he shut all of the curtains before turning to her.

Her heart was pounding so hard and she was so preoccupied with her excitement that Marianne didn’t even register the machetes laid out on the table.

“What’s going on?” Dean demanded, “What’s happened?”

“Nothing too big, it’s alright,” she assured. She saw the tension in his shoulders release, just a little bit.

“Then why are you here? It’s not safe.”

“I can handle it,” she said confidently, “I can handle anything you throw at me.”

“Okay….” Dean said, his hand slowly drifting towards his back.

“Dean, I’m in love with you. When you leave, I want you to take me with you.”

Dean froze in place. Marianne had figured that the news would be shocking, but Dean’s eyes were wide, his brow furrowed, mouth open. Pure confusion.

“What?”

Just then, there was a heavy pounding on the door. Marianne squealed as Dean pulled out a gun from the back of his pants and pointed it at the door.

“Cas?” He called out, but his voice did not make it sound like a question, more like an ultimatum, as if he would shoot the knocker if it was anyone besides Cas.

“No, it’s Louise! I need to speak with you immediately!”

Marianne scowled and stormed to the door, ignoring Dean’s shouts to not open it. She threw it open and glared at her best friend.

“And just what the hell are you doing here?”

Louise’s face dropped and if she wasn’t already so pale, she probably would have gone paler.

“You can’t be here.”

“Well, I am!” Marianne spat, hands on her hips, “What, you thought you could get to Dean first?”

“What? No!” Louise cried before glancing behind her and narrowing her voice, “It’s not safe here. You need to leave and I promise I’ll explain everything tomorrow.”

“I won’t be here tomorrow,” Marianne declared, “I’m leaving.”

“There’s no time for your delusions!” Louise hissed before shoving past Marianne, much stronger than she would have thought possible.

“Hey!” She protested, but she was ignored as Louise muscled her way in. She balked when she saw the knives on the table, but held her head high, standing a few feet from Dean, who was still aiming the gun at her.

“Are you one of them?”

Louise nodded, then she raised her hands to her head, “I surrender. I need help.”

Dean narrowed his eyes and his gun didn’t move, but he nodded.

Louise sighed in relief, “My family and I are…” Louise glanced at Marianne, “ _vegetarians,_ if you will. We feed off our cattle, and you can check the records! The trouble from, um, our kind comes from my cousins.”

“We thought as much,” Dean said coldly, “So, what? You house them?”

“At first we did,” she said quickly, “we understood that not all of our kind can live the way we do. Years ago, when they were visiting because of hunters in their area, your father came. After he killed their leader, we kicked them out. They brought too much attention, too much danger. We worked so damn hard to be safe, and they put all of that in jeopardy.”

“So what? They came back?” Dean asked.

She nodded, “We heard you were in the area, they did too. They’ve been hiding out, coming into town every now and then to hunt. We’ve been trying our best but they’re too strong for us to fight. The day you came, they raided us and they’ve been keeping us all hostage.”

“How come you got out?” Dean demanded.

“They know I’m helping out in town,” she explained patiently, “if I were to go missing, people would look for me. They don’t want a bloodbath until you’re there to do it.”

“Louise, what…?” Marianne asked.

Dean ignored her, instead speaking to Louise, “What do you mean?”

“They want revenge,” she said, “for their brother. Your father killed him and they’ve never been the same since. They want to make you hurt, and to hurt us in turn. They’re going to kill someone and blame it on my family before leaving.”

Dean smirked, “They know we can’t die, huh?”

Louise nodded, “They’re not stupid. They know if they try to kill you, they’re dead.”

“Then who’re they going to kill to make me rampage?” Dean asked calmly, “I don’t know if you know, but I don’t really do that anymore.”

“Your partner, Cas?”

Everything about Dean changed. His face dropped, his eyes widened, his shoulders tensed. In a moment, he turned to white-hot fury, snarling as he took a step closer and hefted his gun. Marianne noticed, belatedly, that it was an old-fashioned revolver.

“Where is he?”

“In the old barn on the property!” Louise said hurriedly, shaking a little, “Is that…?”

“Damn right it is. Show me.”

Louise nodded and stepped aside, gesturing for Dean to lead. As he took a step forward, Marianne cried out, “Wait! What about me?”

They both turned towards her, and seemed to remember that she was there.

“Stay here,” Dean commanded, “turn out the lights, lock the door, and don’t open it for anyone but us, got it?”

“Why do I have to stay here?” She demanded, “Louise gets to come!”

“Because Louise is involved with the case directly,” Dean said, “And I trust that she can defend herself just fine. You, however, are not.”

“Marianne,” Louise said, coming over to her and grabbing both of her hands, looking her in the eyes, “You just have to trust me, I swear I’ll explain everything after. But I can’t bear the thought of losing you.”

Marianne sighed, knowing that they were right, “Okay. I’ll stay here. But y’all owe me an explanation.”

“And you’ll get one,” Louise assured as she let go of their hands, “but we have to go. Stay safe, Marianne.”

“You too,” Marianne said. She looked at Dean, but he just nodded at her before heading out the door following Louise.

Marianne watched them get into the car and drive off before shutting the blinds. She paced around the room and started to realize just how many weapons were in the motel. Machetes, one of which Dean had taken, knives, wooden stakes, hand guns, a silver triangular blade. She wondered if this was standard for all FBI agents.

She paced around the room a handful of times before going back to the window and seeing that no one was there, and her car was right there. She hesitated, only for a moment, before leaving the motel room and going out into the parking lot.

She had been to Louise’s farm a handful of times. Her family was very secretive and kept to themselves, but Louise was more outgoing. However, she rarely brought people over. It had been five years into their friendship before she had brought Marianne to the farm, and even then only went for holidays or family gatherings.

When she pulled up to the long driveway, something felt off. All of the lights in the house were off, despite the many cars lining the mile-long driveway. In the barn, a little ways off, there was a small light, as if there was a bonfire indoors. As Marianne drove closer, she noticed Dean’s car, and that no one was in it.

She parked her van next to it and sat at the wheel, trying to decide what she should do. She would show Dean she could handle it! But how? She was tempted to go into the house, but she doubted anyone was in there. Perhaps Marianne would have more luck in the barn, where there was some light.

As she was pondering this, a shot rang through the air, followed by two more. Marianne jumped and then ducked down behind her wheel, but nothing broke. It was from far off.

Another one rang out and she heard an angry screech, coming from the barn’s direction.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and ran for the barn.

As she got closer, she heard sounds of fighting, or what she assumed to be fighting. There was yelling, punching, a gunshot or two, and some sort of gross wet sound every so often.

Marianne came up to the barn and moved quietly along the side, looking in through one of the windows.

What she saw was a scene from a horror movie.

There were about half a dozen people inside aside from Louise, Cas, and Dean. Dean was wielding a gun as well as a machete, covered in blood. Louise was also bloodied, and the two were surrounded by headless bodies, their heads rolling around on the floor before settling. Meanwhile, Cas was standing in the middle of a circle of fire, watching the whole thing.

“You traitor!” One of the people Marianne didn’t know hissed, “You’re helping hunters over your own kind?”

“You’re not my kind!” Louise snarled back, her lip curling. When it did, Marianne saw an extra row of teeth that were entirely fanged.

Marianne gasped and stumbled back, tripping over herself and fainting.

 

_Marianne opened her eyes and found herself standing in the middle of the barn, beside Cas in the ring of fire. Dean and Louise were seemingly at a standoff with the others, each waiting anxiously for the other to make a move._

_Then, Cas turned to Marianne and spoke,_

_“Do you have water?”_

_“I...yes,” she said, surprised, “I’m a mom.”_

_Cas nodded, which was not an entirely appropriate response to that, “Good. Now, get it and put out this fire. Free me and save Dean.”_

 

Marianne woke up on the cold grass. She shook her head, trying to remember. She had been inside, no, a dream?

_Put out this fire._

Of course! Marianne bolted for her car, desperately hoping she did have some water.

When she got there, she luckily had a bottle in her passenger door. She snatched it up and ran back, thanking God for allowing her to continue her spin classes.

She snuck around to the back and found it thankfully unguarded. Quietly, she opened the door and snuck around the wall, trying to blend into the shadows, clutching the bottle for dear life.

As she was slinking around, the people facing Dean and Louise began to talk.

“Your father ruined us, Dean Winchester,” the leader snarled, “we had a good thing going. Hopping from town to town, eating whomever we wanted, just a step ahead of the hunters. And then John came, killed our best strategist. Low blow, but we survived.”

“Barely,” a woman hissed beside him, “we’ve been hungry for years! And then those damn Men of Letters!”

“Don’t even get me started on them!” The man from before cried, “Genocidal maniacs, they are! Anyways, it got us thinking, why bother with hunters? The world is changing, Dean Winchester.”

Dean scoffed, “Preaching to the choir here, buddy. Are you forgetting who I am?”

“No, just doubting it,” the man said easily, “We know it was you and your brother in the Apocalypse, that you fought our Father, that you were vessels for Satan and Michael. We also heard that you were travelling with a...something.” The man shrugged, “We heard demon, we heard angel, we heard nephilim. So we did a two-in-one trap for it, whatever it is.”

“Cas is not a what!” Dean snapped, then he locked eyes with Marianne, who was very close to the fire. He turned back to the person, unfazed.

Marianne was so confused by everything that was being said. Angels, demons, nephilim, hunters… Satan himself! None of it made sense, but Marianne knew she had to help Cas.

“So, what is he?” The man asked.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

The man hummed and then shook his head, “You know what? Probably best that I don’t know.”

“Too bad, because you’re about to find out.”

Everyone turned around to see the fire go out completely, Marianne still pouring over one spot behind Cas. She froze and sat back as he raised his hand and started to glow.

Dean lunged for Louise and then Marianne had her eyes covered by a hand. She closed her eyes, but her eyelids turned a bright red as a light flashed, seemingly from Cas. The air was filled with a high-pitched ringing, followed by terrible screams that curdled Marianne’s blood.

Soon, the light faded and the screams ended. The hand was lifted away from Marianne’s face and she became aware of a terrible burning smell.

Dean opened his eyes as well and let go of Louise as she lifted her head.

“Marianne!” She cried when she caught sight of her friend. Louise bounded over and tackled Marianne in a hug.

As she did, Dean came over. Marianne wriggled free from Louise’s grasp, ready to be embraced by the love of her life.

“Cas!” Dean exclaimed as he ran past Marianne, to his partner. He hugged him tight before stepping back and looking him over, “You hurt?”

Cas shook his head, “No. They didn’t even have a blade.”

“Did their research though,” Dean admitted, “Can’t believe they combined you with Crowley and Jack!” Dean laughed and then winced, clutching his side. To her surprise, Marianne saw that Dean was bleeding.

“You should be careful,” Cas chatsized, “but I’ve been saying that for years. Here, let me see.”

Dean stepped back and lifted up his shirt, showing a nasty wound. Marianne gasped and covered her mouth.

“Oh Dean! We need to call an ambulance!”

“Don’t worry,” Cas assured her as he pressed his hand to the wound. As he did so, it began to glow with the same light as before, but softer. When he pulled away, the wound and blood was gone. Not even a scratch.

“Good as new,” Dean said as he let his shirt drop back into place, “always helps to have an angel on your side.”

And then something odd happened, something that Marianne had the hardest time believing out of everything she had just seen.

Dean smiled and leaned down to kiss Cas.

Marianne couldn’t help but stare, unbelieving. Here was Dean Winchester, lady killer extraordinaire, kissing another man.

“ _What the hell is going on?”_ Marianne cried finally, reaching her breaking point.

The two pulled away and Dean kind of laughed awkwardly, “Yeah, I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“You’re damned right it is!” She shrieked, “I just can’t believe….”

“That monsters are real?”

“That you’re gay!”

 

About an hour later, the four of them were sat in Louise’s farmhouse, each drinking tea, except for Cas, who didn’t drink anything, apparently.

Louise’s family was in the other room, speaking quietly. They had had a very quick and heated conversation with Dean and Louise before they broke off, but Marianne hadn't caught a word of it.

Since then, Cas, Dean, and Louise had explained everything to her. The existence of vampires, angels, demons, hunters, and everything in between.

“So let me get this straight,”  Marianne said with a shaky breath, running her fingers through her hair, “Louise, my best friend of seven years, is a vampire. But she’s a good vampire because she only drinks cow blood?”

“Correct,” Louise said.

“And Cas is actually an angel of God, whose real name is Castiel?”

“Yes,” Cas said.

“And Dean is a hunter, whose job is to keep creatures like you in line?”

“Pretty much,” Dean said.

“Lord, this is just too much.”

“We know it’s a lot,” Dean said, “that’s why we try to keep things secret – we don’t want anyone to panic.”

“Well, it’s a reasonable reaction,” Marianne admitted. Then she fell silent, staring into her tea. She felt so _stupid._ How could she not have seen the signs?

“Hey, um, Cas, can you help me in the kitchen for a sec?”

“Oh, sure Louise. We will be many minutes.”

Dean sighed heartily as Cas and Louise awkwardly got up. After they left, Dean spoke.

“I know this is...weird.”

Marianne barked a laugh, “That’s an understatement.”

Silence.

“Did...did our time mean anything to you?”

Dean sighed again, leaning back in his chair, “I’m going to be completely honest with you Marianne; I was a prick in high school. I got with too many girls, didn’t do jack shit. You’re a wonderful woman Marianne, but that was over twenty years ago.”

Marianne nodded, “And now you’re –”

“I’m not gay.”

Marianne lifted her head, “You’re...not?”

Dean shook his head, “No, Marianne. I’m actually bisexual.”

“I...I don’t understand.”

Dean chuckled, “I like both men and women.”

“Oh.”

“So don’t worry,” Dean said, somewhat coldly, “you weren’t a beard or anything.”

Marianne nodded, unsure what to say.

“You understand that you can’t come with me, right?”

Marianne couldn’t help it anymore. She began to cry, fat tears streaming down her cheeks

“Aw Marianne,”

“I know,” she sobbed as she furiously wiped her eyes, “I know. I was silly and blind.”

“No, it’s just dangerous.”

“I thought I could handle it!”

“Marianne,” Dean said sternly, taking one of her hands, “You saved our lives today. You saved Cas. You’re sweet and resilient and organized, but I can’t take you with us. It’s dangerous, and the people around us tend to get killed. Hell, we’ve even been killed a few times.”

“Wait, what?”

Dean cleared his throat and leaned back, ”Don’t worry about it. Anyways, you have to stay here, with your kids, your husband –”

“I’m not staying with him,” she insisted, “He’s rude and useless and a cheater!”

Dean nodded, “I’ll have a chat with him, me and Cas. You don’t have to worry about him. You don’t have to stay here, but you gotta help your kids. Stay away from us, and you should be fine.”

Marianne nodded. She really wished she could say more, but what else was there to say?

“But….” Dean said slowly, taking out a piece of paper and a pen, writing something, “here’s our address, all the way in Kansas. If you ever need anything, feel free to drop in. But for the love of God, call us first. We never react well to unexpected visitors.”

“Thank you,” Marianne said with a smile. Then, after a moment, “Do you….do you love Cas?”

Dean grinned, “I love Castiel with all my heart. I’d die a thousand times over to keep him smiling.”

Marianne giggled a little bit, “You really are a romantic, Dean Winchester.”

Dean winked and then stood up, “We should probably head out. But again, don’t hesitate about calling us.”

“You too Dean. Don’t be no stranger.”

Dean nodded and headed towards the door, Cas following behind as he and Louise exited the kitchen. They thanked the two for their help and went out to the driveway, got in their car, and left.

The two women stood on the porch, watching the taillights disappear in the distance. Secrets were out, but things would be okay. They had each other.


End file.
